


How Long I've Waited

by iviscrit



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Cute Kids, F/M, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Feels, Fluffy Ending, baavira - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-23
Updated: 2015-06-23
Packaged: 2018-04-05 17:21:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,713
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4188390
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iviscrit/pseuds/iviscrit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"'You can't wear a military uniform to this, not when your new image is of a benevolent leader.' The twins had insisted on seeing their mother in a dress, and their combined efforts had resulted in her wearing a slinky gown of deep green with gold embroidery thick over the sleeves and chest. Its one redeeming feature, Kuvira had decided, was that wine stains would not show. The gala was fated to be a rather boozy evening." For day 2 of Kuvira Week, drunken nights/redemption.</p>
            </blockquote>





	How Long I've Waited

"Kuvira? Welcome back."

Kuvira exchanged looks with her husband. "It's an honor," she said at last, her voice clipped despite the speaker's familiarity. "I've missed Republic City."

Everything about the situation felt unnatural, from the elegant way her hair was twisted off her neck and fastened with a jade pin to the evening gown she had been convinced would be a good wardrobe choice.

"After all," Baatar had pointed out, "you can't wear a military uniform to this, not when your new image is of a benevolent leader." The twins had insisted on seeing their mother in a dress, and their combined efforts had resulted in her wearing a slinky gown of deep green with gold embroidery thick over the sleeves and chest. Its one redeeming feature, Kuvira had decided, was that wine stains would not show. The gala was fated to be a rather boozy evening.

"Missed trying to conquer Republic City, or you missed the high-security prison?" Lin said. "Don't look so upset, I'm only teasing," she added as the younger woman's jaw tightened. "You're family now, that means you're subject to the verbal abuse too. How old are my grandnieces now?"

"Four," Baatar said, already steering her away with a firm hand at her waist. "We'll catch up later, Aunt Lin... the new governor of Ba Sing Se needs to make her rounds."

"It's good to see you, chief," Kuvira said, nodding politely before their escape, relieved when a distinguished-looking gentleman from the Fire Nation engaged Lin in conversation. "Thanks," she added to Baatar, her voice cross as she grabbed a champagne flute from a passing server. "I should never have attended. Fifteen years is not enough time for my actions to be truly forgiven."

"Our actions," Baatar corrected. "We both built the empire, we both share the blame--"

"We never shared a prison sentence," she pointed out.

"We likely would have gotten away with everything if _someone_ \--"

"Still too soon," she muttered, smiling in spite of herself as Baatar chuckled.

"Even after fifteen years and three children?"

"Even then."

"Junior! Kuvira! How did you both slip past us? We expected to see you at dinner."

Kuvira steeled herself, plucking the stem of Baatar's glass from between his fingers and draining the contents in a gulp. "Evening, Su. Evening, Baatar Senior." She winced as her father-in-law traded smiles with her husband.

"We've been through this enough, Kuvira. Call me 'father,' you're family now." His eyes were kind but wary, and she told herself it was only because Su was at an event with an open bar. As if he had read her mind, Baatar squeezed her fingers.

"Who's watching the little ones?" Su demanded, her voice too loud and twin red spots on her cheeks. "Or did you bring them?"

"Shu is ten now," Kuvira said evenly. "He's with the girls in our suite. We'll be visiting you properly tomorrow, there was no time with our late arrival today."

"Thank heaven it's not the presidential suite this time," Su said, wrinkling her nose at the recollection. "I still have nightmares... you both were so _noisy_ \--"

"Mother, please," Baatar said, wincing. "There are statesmen everywhere, you're too loud."

"I need another drink," Kuvira muttered, her expression darkening as Su only laughed, dragging her husband off to mingle with the rest of the prominent world figures.

Fifteen years had passed since the failed annexation of the United Republic, and only five of those fifteen had been a proper married life with Baatar and their children. Kuvira had initially endured her sentence with  gloomy acceptance, consoled and sustained by the knowledge that the work she put forth would only help her nation. Had she been offered the nomination as the governor of Ba Sing Se even five years ago, she would have adamantly refused. Countless talks with the avatar and long nights of discussion with Baatar had ultimately led to her accepting the nomination, and a few months later she was being sworn in as the governor in a manner eerily similar to her inauguration as president of the Earth Empire.

"Think of this as your personal redemption," Baatar had said, his hands lingering at the fastenings of her dress and Sita tugging at the leg of his trousers, saying something about Ayla ruining her hair.

"Or a test of colossal proportions for my character," Kuvira had observed drily. "Why do they want me back in power? Why _did_ they?"

"You should have asked that before you were elected," he pointed out. "And, for the same reason I've been trusted with spirit vine technology despite the war," he added easily. "You helped our country and you're the best person for the job. Ba Sing Se remembers everything you did, so try viewing this as your final redemption--"

"Kuvira? What a wonderful surprise." Kuvira was jolted from the memory as Korra seized her hand, pulling her in for a hug. "It's so good to see you again."

"Likewise," Kuvira returned. Asami Sato was at the avatar's left, and Kuvira found herself letting out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding when the woman proffered her hand to shake; the two exchanged polite greetings. _Progress_ , she told herself. "The new chief of police isn't here? I thought I'd see him with you."

"Mako's somewhere," Korra said, smiling fondly. "You'll run into him, but you might not remember it-- you reek of alcohol. Everything okay?"

"No," Kuvira said. "This gala is giving me a headache, and I want nothing more than to--"

"Asami," Baatar said smoothly as the two of them caught up. "How did the merger work out?"

"Optimally," she said, tossing a loose curl of hair over her shoulder. "And I read that your next patent is due for release in the fall. Congratulations are in order for the Earth Nation's most prominent developer, it seems like just yesterday when you were working off your sentence with Future Industries. Don't take this the wrong way, but your calling doesn't seem to be politics. I'm glad you swore it off."

"Yes," he said thoughtfully. "I am too."

The floor was crowded with international dignitaries, the air filled with the swish and rustle of fabric, the gentle music of a string quartet, and the pleasant background chatter of the invitees. It was remarkable, Kuvira observed over a glass of fireball, her vision beginning to blur at more than the edges as the stimuli became overpowering to her increasingly intoxicated brain. Her dress seemed to be dragging lengths of superfluous fabric around, and she came perilously close to stumbling. After greeting the remaining dignitaries and heads of state, she had done little to curb her drinking for the night, having at last acquired a tolerance "worthy of an engineer" as Baatar liked to say.

"Why don't we step outside?" he said, and she nodded, holding his arm and following him to the balcony of the ballroom. Overhead, the stars seemed to wink at them from their places in the black expanse of night sky, their glow dulled by the spirit portal's golden rays. "Remind you of anything?" he asked quietly, holding her back to his chest.

"I'm not giving you a lap dance."

He sputtered in disbelief. "I _meant_ our first night in Republic City. Before your 'announcement to the world.'"

"Oh." She paused, leaning against him and closing her eyes, memories of planning the usurping speech leaving a sour taste in her mouth that couldn't be attributed to the amber liquid in her glass. "I try not to remember those days. We weren't at our best back then."

"No, not as world leaders," he agreed. "But I meant more along the lines of _us_ , us personally."

"Back then, I was willing to sacrifice you for the empire," she said evenly.

"You still would," Baatar said dismissively. "I've made peace with it."

"What? That's completely untrue, I would never--" Her voice was incredulous, and the words poured out in an unrestrained jumble of indignant displeasure that would have been curbed, had she imbibed less that night.

"What?" he repeated innocently. "You would."

"I would not," she insisted, turning and facing him, seizing his hands. " _Never_ , not now."

"Why?" he asked, gentle amusement in his voice. "You're the leader of Ba Sing Se now. Our people come before everything--"

"You're my husband," she said irritably, knowing at last that he was teasing her and completely unamused. "You're the father of our children. My world begins with our family-- the entire nation's prosp-- prosper--" She frowned, her tongue thick in her mouth-- "successes can't replace that, not now. Maybe then, not anymore." She paused, craning her neck to see inside the ballroom of the Four Elements. "Should we check on the children? The evening is nearly over, Korra will understand."

"You don't know how long I've waited to hear you say that," Baatar said, ignoring her last few words.

"You knew it when you married me," she said, tugging him back inside. "Do I have to say everything expli-- explicitly?"

"No," he said, smiling as he steadied her on their way to the exit. "But it's nice to hear out loud, sometimes."

"Then I should say it more often." Shu had fallen asleep in their bed, and had to be carried off to his own upon their return. Sita and Ayla had already been tucked in by their older brother, their glossy black curls splayed out on their respective pillows. Kuvira combed her fingers through their hair, marveling at how quickly the evening and the past few years had passed. "Weren't you all babies a year ago?" she said softly. "Was I looking the other way when you grew up?"

"I love seeing you like this," Baatar said, pulling her to standing and kissing her once they'd both said goodnight.

"What, nostalgic?"

"No, happy." His hold tightened; his voice was tender. "Part of a family. Specifically, our family."

Back inside their suite, with Baatar's arm around her and the children sleeping in the adjacent room, her head still buzzed from the evening's indulgences. But despite the new title and the congratulations of other prominent leaders at the gala, Kuvira found herself thinking that their little family, more than anything else, was all the redemption she’d ever really needed.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Hope my bae Saigneux liked it! Inspired by your Marlene Dietrich pic. The brief mention of a firebending dude talking to Lin is the subtlest of shoutouts to the lovely superliz, and her AMAZE oc Kaz!! 
> 
> Sorry for the cheese, y'all. Kuvira finally having a family of her own just messes me up.


End file.
